1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector assembly comprising a pair of mateable connector halves, each connector half including a housing with terminals mounted therein. More particularly, the present invention relates to a connector assembly of the type described including means to ensure that each terminal is positively locked in its respective housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical connector assemblies which comprise a pair of matable connector halves, each half including a plurality of wire connected terminals mounted within a connector housing, are widely used in appliances such as vehicles, electronic computers, automatic vending machines, etc. When the two connector halves are mated, mutual connection of the respective terminals is effected. In such connectors, it is required that the terminal be retained securely in a given position of the housing. Otherwise, the connector may not function properly because the connectors may not be mated with each other causing an incomplete connection. Likewise, the connector assembly must not allow the terminals to be disengaged after being mounted therein for the same reasons.
Each of the connector halves which comprise the assembly has a housing with a plurality of terminal receiving cavities formed therein facing opposing cavities formed in the housing of the other connector half. Each cavity is provided with a wall. A group of terminals are mounted in the cavities along side of the wall. The terminals mounted in the opposing cavities are in alignment with one another so as to define mateable terminal pairs. Terminal locking means are provided which cooperate between each terminal and the wall of its respective cavity in order to lock the terminal therein. The locking means has means interengaging between the cavity wall and the terminal only when the terminal is fully inserted within its cavity. By this design, the terminal pairs are interconnected and mated when the connector halves are moved together.
Though the above general structure provides suitable means for positively locking the respective terminals within its terminal receiving cavities, it is still possible to mate the housings of each connector half to one another even though all of the terminals have not been fully inserted therein.